2004: Bridget Kelly's Story of Survival

Transcript for 2004: Bridget Kelly's Story of Survival

And now we're gonna turn to the story of a young woman who made a big impression on all of us here at primetime. She has an extraordinary story of survival and we keep asking how did she do it. How... See More

And now we're gonna turn to the story of a young woman who made a big impression on all of us here at primetime. She has an extraordinary story of survival and we keep asking how did she do it. How did she survive one terrible night. At the hands of a crazed attacker. And what happened inside -- how did she end up concluding that what happened. Wasn't something to be ashamed. And how did she decide that women deserve a voice and how did she find her voice. With the love -- the help of a most unlikely ally. I remember thinking. I'm gonna die right here and 24 this -- -- my -- and news. He did every few seconds to. And -- tentacles into everything right. A month ago. A monster left her -- her face in the mud. Michael Kelly a well regarded widely read columnist for the Omaha world herald. Writing a -- for his paper about the brutal rape of a young team. Bridget the first grade teacher was kidnapped by two strangers dropped -- repeatedly -- of that and left for dead. Yeah yeah. This -- is bridges the young woman Michael Kelly was writing about. And this is a story of how the two of them the teacher and the newspaper man made something good out of something bad. It started at 3 AM on a summer morning Bridget was alone in her apartment in Killeen Texas. Her door double -- it. When she heard a loud -- Candidate walked up chewed the door and looked out the -- and I watch. A man it and run at my door and then. My door skin. He was a complete stranger with a gun and he wanted money. So they headed in her car for a nearby AT and. This is driving out of the parking lot and I'm just trying again to stay grounded and stay focused and so I just started to pray. Hail Mary full of grace and outlook out loud I think guy who wanted him to seeing me as something human. Bridget withdrew 200 dollars hoping that would be the end of it. That the young man he was only eighteen would let -- -- but he didn't he forced her back to the car always had done for. He began driving. Away from -- I -- and I became more and more and more terrified. She tries to talk with him -- she was a teacher I said I teach first grade at -- head and thank you love. Children's literature and I said that. Were there any stories that -- specialty you and your little boy -- I really loved Peter Rabbit. What were you thinking at that point. Did you I was thinking maybe he's gonna rape me maybe he's going to kill me. They kept driving he had a specific destination in mind an empty field -- -- a subdivision. There was not a soul in -- So I just have this mental image this memory in my mind of coming to the edge of the subdivision. And this darkness in front of me. -- ever gonna come out of this place -- going. And I said. Allowed at that moment for summaries and and said. A lot of people love me. Can you get nothing back. And I know that was more from myself and for him anyway. School. And that. That love that you have from your life. Even in that situation as awful as this it's still -- you you know. -- did occur to you Bridget that. The fact that you had seen him. That he wore no mask. That probably achieved greater danger. Yes yes as the situation under -- I've beaten him more. And more aware of that thinking eventually he's an -- -- -- because. Time doesn't. -- -- -- goodness of this does it now. That at all. He told her to take off her clothes still at gunpoint she had no alternative. Once naked she bolted and ran but the man quickly -- And then told her to lie down. As I was getting down on the ground -- said. And a calm voice is my memory is said and I'm just I'm going to give this to god I'm giving this to guide. President and an acknowledgment that this is so far beyond that I can -- off and I got down on the ground and here makes me. -- next he told me to. -- up. And I did and he sort of gesture indicated where he -- -- me to stand inside a standing with my back to him. In less than a minute. He fired the gun. And he missed and I screened. And then he. Shot again and this time it hit me and I -- to the ground he walked. Closer to me. And fired again into my back. And then he. Started to walk away and I believe that he turned back and maybe it wasn't an afterthought let's just for good measure. He shot me one more time. And there he lecture to a dime. But a remarkable determination and will to live took over. First rigid -- but that was too painful. And I just started -- clear skies just help me please help me and -- -- -- and maybe some thing else knows that -- him. And and landed on the doorstep of the closest house I think that took him. It was almost 4 in the morning a woman inside was too scared to open the door but she didn't call 911. -- then staggered to the next house and collapsed in a heap. When I thought comparison between willow was pretty beat him she's covered in -- and there's a whole world body stuff and I didn't things you're gonna make it. Retired army sergeant frank James answered. -- -- covered Bridget and comforted her until police and emergency medical personnel. Don't mind doing it may have to do things. She was rushed to the hospital for six and a half hours of emergency surgery. She arrived at the hospital ten minutes later doctors say. She would have powerful machine to how appropriate and she couldn't talk because of her heat in ten. Detectives Breck from the Killeen Texas police. The shots miraculously have missed bridges fine heart and lungs. But not much else. -- just. What parolees I was wrong. -- -- -- -- It is at this point that the newspaper men Michael Kelly enters the story he learned of the attack on Bridget as he sat in his Omaha office the next morning. Phone rang. Woman's voice detective Cheryl frank of -- police department I have from just -- yet she said are you father of Bridget Kelly. And I knew whatever was going to be said next was not going to be good. -- Kelly has covered many -- cases and this time it was his own daughter. Okay.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.